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How Much Protein Do You Really Need to Be Healthy?

BY Peter Maldonado, December 04, 2015

The optimal amount of protein for each of us is dependent on your age, level of activity, and percentage of lean body mass. Generally, a healthy amount ranges between 40-70 grams per day, for a 170-pound person. 40 grams of protein equates to a six-ounce chicken breast or two small hamburger patties.

Seniors – As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, because it becomes harder for our bodies to synthesize protein. Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet plan, but for adults aged 50 and over, recent research has shown that current U.S. government guidelines on protein intake may be too low for this growing population segment.

Instead of 62 grams of protein per day for a 170-pound person, the study revealed that seniors need 93 grams of protein (the equivalent of 11.5 ounces of beef) to increase their rates of muscle protein synthesis. Coupled with strength training, individuals can enjoy even better results and healthier aging.

Athletes – if you partake in light to moderate exercise, you should be taking in 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram or about 0.55-0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. This translates into 93.5 grams of protein for a 170-pound-person.

If your exercise includes building muscle mass, you require 1.4-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram. A 150-pound muscle-building athlete needs to consume between 96-123 grams per day if their fitness goal is to build muscle mass.

If you’re a 150-pound athlete doing high-intensity endurance training, you may need an even higher amount of protein in your daily diet regimen—up to 135 grams of protein

Calculate and Customize your Protein Plan

With the general information above, you can fine-tune your personal protein requirements with the following formula:

Let’s see how it looks for an overweight person: Calculate your body-fat index first. Let’s say it’s 40%. Deduct 40 from 100, which leaves you with 60% lean fat. Multiply 60% (0.6) by your current weight of 250 which equals 150. Half of 150 is 75 grams of protein per day. By customizing your protein plan to your lean body fat index, you’ll enjoy better results from a protein-balanced diet.

Dietary Sources of Protein

Whether you are a carnivore, a Paleo Diet follower, or vegetarian, you need to know where substantial amounts of protein can be found:

Good health is not just about the amount of protein you should have every day; it’s also about choosing healthy protein foods instead of unhealthy ones. By following this rule of thumb, you’ll always make the right choices:

Avoid GMO foods (genetically modified organisms). Recent estimates report that over 75% of foods in supermarkets are GMO foods with ingredients that are hazardous to our health. Unless a food is labeled “non-GMO” or “Organic,” it can have any number of GMO ingredients, pesticides, chemicals, additives, and synthetic preservatives—all of which are potential health hazards. And don’t be fooled by the word “Natural” on packaging. It means nothing; it just sounds good.